Packaging means for small articles



July 1, 1958 M. DE LA FUENTE ,2

PACKAGING MEANS FOR SMALL ARTICLES Filed July 26, 1956 INVENTOR. Murray De La fizzemfe ATTDEZVEZ? United States Patent PACKAGING MEANS FOR SMALL ARTICLES Murray De La Fuente, New Bedford, Mass., assignor to Aerovox Corporation, a corporation of Massachusetts 1 Application July 26, 1956, Serial No. 600,250

4 Claims. (Cl. 206-80) This invention relates to packaging means for small articles with facilities for ready dispensing of individual articles therefrom.

In the distribution to jobbers of small electrical and electronic components, such as capacitors, resistors, inductances and the like, it has been the practice for the manufacturer to package small numbers of components of the same characteristic in a box from which the components are removed as sold. Since these jobbers ordinarily sell to such customers as radio and television service men, radio amateurs and the like, they need a large number of components having dilferent electrical values. Ordinarily, the volume sales of a component of a particular value by individual jobbers is rather small so that they will often order lots of only a dozen or even less of 'a particular component at a time. However, because of the large number of components of difierent electrical values which they must stock to meet the ordinary demands of their customers, the jobber will find it difiicult to maintain an adequate supply of all the components he needs at a particular time. This is particularly true if he stores the components in the original boxes inwhich they are shipped. Often, when the last component in a box has been sold, the jobber may forget to re-order that particular component and will not be reminded to do so because it is not evident from the outside of a box whether or notit is empty. Also, the usual container has no facilities for apprising the jobber when his stock is running low.

Another disadvantage of conventional packaging is that, since small boxes are generally used, manual removal of components one at a time may be difiicult as only one finger will fit through the open end.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide an inexpensive display package particularly adapted for use in connection with electrical and electronic components in which the components left in the container will be easily visible; which is adapted to facilitate the re-ordering of particular components as they become exhausted; which provides a convenient record of the components which have been re-ordered or which require re-ordering; which facilitates the removal of small articles one at a time; and, at the same time, provides an attractive display showing customers the particular varieties of components that the jobber has available in a particular line, and at all times alfords adequate and secure protection for the articles remaining in the package.

These and other objects of the present invention, which will be in part particularly pointed out and in part apparent from the ensuing description, are attained by providing a display means comprising a card, including a tab portion detachable therefrom and a transparent container secured to the tab portion, which is adapted to hold a plurality of like articles and which is disposed to permit easy removal of the articles therefrom while the container is still secured to the tab portion. Both the tab portion and the remainder of the card bear indicia descriptive of the article packaged so that when "ice Patented July 1, 1958 re-ordering becomes necessary, the tab may be removed and sent back to the manufacturer as a re-order slip and the remainder of the card conveniently filed to indicate that a particular type of component has been re-ordered.

the container portion to facilitate removal of one of the capacitors therefrom; and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the display means illustrated in Fig. 1 showing the tab portion detached.

Turning now specifically to the drawings, there is shown a flat, substantially rectangular card 10 which is preferably made of cardboard or similar heavy paper material, having a substantially rectangular tab portion 11 blanked out of the card 10 located more or less centrally thereon and preferably extending longitudinally thereof for the major part of its width. The tab portion 11 is integral with the card 10 but is easily detachable therefrom because of the line of perforations or similar weak-' ening means 13 along one edge thereof. The tab 11 is preferably joined to the other portion 14 of the card 10 only along the line of perforations 13, being separate therefrom along its other three sides. The edge 15 of the tab 11 which is opposite the perforations 13 may be provided with a notch 16 which accommodates a thumb or finger, thus facilitating the bending of the tab 11 away from the other portion 14 of the card 1th and its detachment therefrom. Since the tab 11 is joined to the other portion 14 of the card It only along the line of perforations 13, it may be bent out of the plane of the card 10 without detachment where it is desired to remove objects from the package.

Secured to the tab portion 11 is a transparent container, such as the envelope 17. This envelope may be of any convenient transparent flexible material, such as polyethylene, cellophane, polyvinyl chloride or other inexpensive material of suitable properties and in Fig. 1 is shown filled with a plurality of tubular capacitors 18. The leads 18a are preferably bent as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 so that their ends will not tear the envelope 17. The envelope 17 has an open top or mouth indicated generally at 19 and is secured to the tab 11 by inverting it to the position shown in Fig. 2 and applying staples 22 other securing means. In normal position, the envelope 17 is folded along the line 29 to the position shown in Fig. 1 wherein it has the mouth 19 closed by turneddown flap 21. The envelope 17 depends from the flap 21 under its own weight and that of the packaged objects, such as capacitors 18. i

Fig. 2 illustrates the removal of one of the capacitors" 13 from the bag 17. This may be done simply by lifting the envelope to the position shown and manually removing the capacitor 18 through the open end 19. Since the envelope 17 is normally made of pliant material, such as plastic film, the open end 19 can provide a larger opening than that at the end of a conventional box so that manual removal of individual capacitors is facilitated. The staples 22, or other closure means, are at the sides of the envelope 17 so as not to interfere with its opening.

As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, the tab portion 11 has printed thereon indicia, generally indicated as 23, descriptive of the quantity and the electrical characteristics of the capacitors 18 contained in the envelope 17. These indicia may be printed on the envelope 17 in addition to on the tab 11. Corresponding indicia, generally indicated at 24, are printed on the other portion 14 of the card '10, preferably adjacent the line ofperforations 13.

otheriindicimsuch'as a direction to refill the order,- space V for the re-ordering customer to write his name or the like, may also appear on the tab 11.

When on display by a jobber, the display means of i the present invention' mayjbe placedon a suitable rack or, counter, generally in' the position shown inFig. 11.: U

Thus, the customer is .able 'to see at a glance the size and appearance of the capacitors ls having vthepartic zular electrical characteristics denoted by the'indicia 23 and 24. A jobber may display a numberof different types. of capacitors, each in'its characteristic display.

means, on a rack or the card lllrnay be provided with one or more holes 10a permitting-hanging from hooks.

\Vhen one of the capacitors 18 is to be removegl for sale, the envelope 17 is simply 'lifted, as illustrated in Fig. 2, so that the capacitorplS may easily be extracted through the thus opened end 19. Because the envelope 17 is ticular type he has on hand and when they are exhausted he may re-order simply by detaching the tab 11 along the indicia 23 printed thereon completely identifies the order, both as to quantity andtype of unit, no additional instructions are necessary. The remaining portion 14 of the card 10 is of such shape and size'tha t it may conveniently bertilcd in a card-index drawerby the jobber whowill then have a record of what units he has rep of transparent material, the jobber can tell at a glance how many unitsofa parcard from which said tab portion isadapted to be de-' 4 invention is, therefore, not to'be limited to the embodi ments specifically described and: illustrated but includes those equivalents which will occur to those skilledlin the art and is limited, therefore, only by the scope of the-appendedclaims. 7

Having thus described rn'y invention, what I claimas new and desire to secure byLetters Patent of'the United States is:

1. Packaging means comprising a card including .a tab portion adjacent the upper edge thereof extending longitudinally of said card for the major part of its width" and. detachable from said card,,an' envelope of flexible transparent material adapted to hold a; plurality of like articles, indicia on said tab portion descriptive of said articles and corresponding ,indiia on a:portioniof said tached, means adjacent the lateral edgesof said envelope i to secure the latter to said tab portion, with the mouth of the envelope directed downwardly toward the lower edge of the card, said securing means being spaced from said mouth, whereby when said envelope ris fold'ed downwardly' along a line extending between said securing the line of perforations 13 as shownin Fig. 3 Thetab" V '11 may be sent back to the manufacturer and because ordered, thus saving himself time and bookkeeping ex- V pens'e.

ponents, it will be understood that it is also applicable a to the packaging of other articles having characteristics that can be represented by printedindicia and which are customarily sold singly or in small lots. The present means to depend from the card; the. mouth of the; envelope will be closed and in use the envelope when turned upward Willafiord ready access for removalr of one or.

more of the articles therefrom from" its' now open'mouth and .whereby the detachable" tab' portionfiwill servefor convenience in re-ordering-andthe' remaining card p'ortion will serve as a record er What hasibeen re-ordered.

2. The packaging means as claimed in claim l, in

which the tab portion is integral with the cardand blanked" therefrom along itsperimeter other than its upper' edge,

and in which said upper-edge is weakened for facility in detachment of the tab. I r

3. The packaging means as claimed .in claiinjh which said envelope is secured to said tab by staples at the opposite ends thereof. j

4. The packaging meansfas, claimed inclaimi 1, in which said card is of heavy paper.

in References Cited inthe file of ithispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS V 7 Dey May 5, 1931 Taylor June 15, 1943 2,476,774 Sears July 19, 1949 V 

